Light brown Maca Extract 0.6–1% Total Macamides powder from Lepidium meyenii root

Maca Extract 0.6–1% Macamides

Maca extract starts from the hypocotyl root of Lepidium meyenii, the Andean crucifer grown at high altitude, and not from the leaves, flower stalks or seeds. Ethanol extraction concentrates the fat-soluble amides of the root, and the liquor is dried to a light brown powder.

The grade range is 0.6–1% macamides by HPLC, and the primary grade is the 1% end. The powder is 80 mesh and insoluble in water. The 0.6% grade suits blended powders and fuller-profile capsules, while the 1% grade gives a higher marker load per gram for compact fills.

SKU: BOT-STX-0018 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Maca, Root & Rhizome, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts

Macamide Standardization & Grades

Macamides are N-benzylamides of long-chain fatty acids, lipophilic compounds that are specific to maca among common food crops. They are the standardization target because they set maca apart from other crucifer roots and because HPLC can resolve and quantify the individual members. The botanical entity is Lepidium meyenii Walp., and the part used is the swollen hypocotyl, the root that is dried and milled for the trade. Maca also holds glucosinolates, sterols and starch, but none of these defines the amide grade, and an extract can differ in all of them while sharing the same macamide figure.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
0.6% Macamides	HPLC	Capsules and blended powders
1% Macamides	HPLC	Compact capsules and tablets

The two grades differ by less than a factor of two, so the choice is about fill size and cost per gram of marker. The 1% grade packs the macamide load into a smaller capsule. The 0.6% grade suits blends where the maca extract is one of several ingredients. Maca root is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract, the Maca Extract Powder, as a milled root, the Maca Root Powder, and as the Maca Peptide Powder, a peptide product that is a different material from a root extract. The fat-soluble nature of macamides is the reason ethanol extraction carries them, while a water-based route would leave most of them behind.

Macamide Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by HPLC, which separates the individual macamides on a column and quantifies them against reference compounds. N-benzylpalmitamide is one of the best known members. Because there is no single macamide that defines the group, a percentage is only meaningful together with the list of compounds that were summed. A UV total or a gravimetric lipid figure cannot be converted into an HPLC macamide result.

The chromatogram of a maca extract shows several amide peaks, together with the related unsaturated fatty acid derivatives known as macaenes. Research on Andean material has shown that macamide and macaene levels differ between the colored types of maca, and that they move in the opposite direction to the glucosinolates. The colored type of the root is therefore not a reliable proxy for the amide content of a lot.

Purity risks come from identity and from the lipophilic marker. A sample for assay is extracted with an organic solvent, filtered and run on a reversed-phase column, and the amide peaks are identified by retention time and spectrum against standards. Maca is sold as a powder, a gelatinized powder and an extract, and the percentage on a label may refer to a different thing in each. Only the hypocotyl is used. Because the marker is fat-soluble, an extract made by other routes can show a lower macamide figure even from the same root, so the extraction solvent and the assay both belong in the identity check.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Lepidium meyenii
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Common Name	Maca, Peruvian Maca
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Macamides (N-benzylamides of fatty acids)
Primary Grade	1% Macamides (HPLC)
Available Grades	0.6% · 1% Macamides (HPLC)
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Insoluble in Water
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Applications by Grade

1% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 1% grade supplies a macamide target in a small fill, which suits capsules and tablets. The powder carries oily amides, so it is cohesive and sticks to filling pins unless a glidant is added. Check the fill weight at each lot change.

1% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 1% grade need a dry binder and an absorbent filler, because the lipid fraction softens compacts. Run a compression trial on the full blend, and check hardness after storage in a warm room.

0.6% Grade in Capsule Blends

The 0.6% grade suits capsules where the maca extract is one of several actives. It fills at a larger weight, which makes metering easier and lets the formula carry a fuller extract profile of the root.

0.6% Grade in Drink Powders

Drink powders use the 0.6% grade, and because the powder is insoluble in water the drink needs a thickener or a suspension aid. The malty, earthy note of the root combines well with cocoa and vanilla flavors.

0.6% Grade in Gummy Premixes

Gummy premixes can carry the 0.6% grade, which disperses in warm syrup as a fine suspension. Add it after the main cook, mix well, and check for oil spots on the surface of the finished gummy.

1% Grade in Oil Suspensions

Softgels and oil-based fills accept the 1% grade as a milled suspension. The macamides are fat soluble and the powder blends with oil readily. Avoid a hot oil phase, and let particle size and a suspending agent decide how uniform the fill stays.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light brown powder with an earthy, malty odor and a mild, slightly peppery edge. It is insoluble in water, so aqueous systems hold it as a fine suspension that settles without stirring. The marker is lipophilic and the powder carries a measurable lipid fraction, which makes maca extract more cohesive and more prone to oxidation than a dry carbohydrate extract.

For production, sieve the powder before blending, and add a glidant so that the lipid-bearing particles flow through hoppers. Mix the maca extract with a portion of a dry carrier before the final blend to avoid lumps. Fill capsules in a cool room, since warm air softens the amide-rich fraction and the powder will smear on the machine.

The lipid-rich fraction also means that maca extract picks up odor in storage and releases it into neighboring products, so keep it in a sealed liner and away from strongly scented materials. Oxidation shows as a stale note, and a retained sample from each lot gives the reference for comparison.

Protect the drum from heat, light and air, and compare each lot with a retained sample for color, odor and the macamide peaks in the chromatogram. Wet cleaning of the line is needed after a maca run, because the oily residue builds up on contact parts and carries the odor into the next product.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.